Improvement in apparatus for relieving grounded vessels



. R. RIGHTUB.

Apparatus for Relievingruunded Vessels.

N0. 142,732. Patented Srepterr|,ber9,l873.`

HNVNTOR:

ATT EST .f

/m Mz( M pm .W M

AM M070 ill/106m Pfl/0 Co. M x (ass onus's mams;

` TES PATENT Ormeao WILLIAM It. RIGHTOR, OF HELENA, ARKANSAS.,

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR RELIEVING GROUNDED VESSELS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,732, dated September 9, 18723; application filedrv May es, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM R. RIGH'IOR, of Helena, Phillips county, Arkansas, have invented a certain Improved Apparatus for Relieving Grounded Steamboats, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to a means ot' relieving vessels grounded on the bars of rivers; and consists of pipes laid longitudinally (either fixed or movable) on the deck of the vessel,

and in communication with waterpumps orA the steam-space of the. boiler, and furnished with a number of coupling-joints or mouths, to which may be coupled a pipe having a vertical and a horizontal portion, the latter of which consists of sections or joints, so as to be adjustablevin length, and is made so as to eX- tend beneath the bottom of the boat. This pipe turns on the vertical portion as an axis, and carries around the horizontal portion, so that the open end of the latter may be directed to throw a jet against the part ofthe sand-bar on which the boat is lodged, and cause the sand to be carried awayby the current.

In the drawings, Figure l shows a transverse section ot' the boat with one end of the same in perspective. Fig. 2 is a side view of a boat on a smaller scale.

A is the deck, and B the guards of the boat. G is a longitudinal pipe, secured above or beneath the deck, and in communication with the steam-space of the boiler, or with the doctor or other pump, or loot-h boiler and pump, by pipes D, which are furnished with suitable valves d. E are discharge pipes or mouths, furnished with a valve, c, which is ordinarily closed. F is a socket-head, which may loe coupled to either of the mouths E, and in which turns a pipe, G. rEhe turn-joint ofthe pipe Gr in the head F is so constructed that the water shall pass freely from the mouth E into pipe Gr in all positions of the latter. His a lever, by which the pipe G may be turned in the head F. At the lower end ot' the vertical part G is an extension, I, reaching in a horizontal direction. The part I is preferably formed of a number of removable sections, t', so as to render it adjustable in length, as may be required. gare apertures inl the deck, through which'the pipe Gr passes.

The operation of my improvement is as fol- A lows: When the boat is found to be aground on a bar, K, the position ot' the latter is determined. by sounding or otherwise, and the pipe G, by its socket-head and coupling f, secured to that mouth E which is in the proper position to admit of the jet-mouth of pipe I to be brought to bear upon the sand-bar, to stir itup beneath the bottom of the boat. sand is stirred up, and the loose sand carried away by the current, the pipe I is swung around, by means ot' the lever H, so as to play upon a fresh part of the bar; and after all within its scope has been swept away from beneath the vessel it may be changed to another mouth, E, to complete the work. The pipe I may loe adjusted in length by attachment or removal ot' one or more ot' the sections t'. Y I claim as my inventionrlhe vertical pipe Gr, having a horizontal exension or discharge pipe, I, and provided with a swivel-bearing in the removable head F, whereby it is adapted to be rotated, when used in combination with the pipe C, in the manner and for the purpose described.

WILLIAM It. RIGHTOR. Witnesses:

It. T. BRADLEY, SAML. KNIGHT.

As the 

